Treatment of fuel gas



E. H. Bl-RD TREATKENT 0F FUEL GAS Filed Jan. 2. 1923 Wwe/275# 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 3, 1928w E. H. BIRD TREATMENT OF FUEL GAS Filed Jan. 2. .1923

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E. H. BIRD TREATMENT 0F FUEL GAS Jan. 3, 1928.

Filed Jan, 2. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ....Grdult s C 1 f www ha u .www S3 :Si Saz. @N14 l hydrocyanic acid,

I' 15 plication. for Letters Patented J l3,A '1928.

UNITEDI STA ras EUGENE n. man, lor PITTSBURGH,

COMPANY, E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,

A conPoaATroNor PENNSYLVANIA.

TREATMENT 0F FUEL GAS.'

AApplication led January 2, 1923*. Serial' No. 610,110.

This invention relates to the treatment of fuel gas containingimpurities, such as hy- 'drogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and hydrocyanic acid. Anf object of tlie invention is I to effect, in acombined process, the recovery from such gas of the ammonia in commercially usable form and quantities,

impurities; vl0 With regard tothe puricationof, the gas of its hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide'or there is employed a liquid purification process having features devscribedand claimed in lthe co-pending ap- Patent of the United States of Frederick W.'Sperr, E. Hall, for .gas puriication process, December 8, 1921, Serial No. 520,805.- Such a gas purification process involves: The removal of the hydrogen sulphide from the gas and its recoveryA in concentrated f orm suitable for commercial purposes, with little dilution of the hydrogensulphide by carbon dioxide; an especial-adaptability for employment with gases containing carbon diox- 1de, inasmuch as the carbon` dioxide promotes the removal of the sulphur andthe rejuvenation of the solution in the regenera-y tion stage; an ecient operation in both absorption and regeneration stages notwithlied standing variation 1n-the amount v.of carbon dioxide present in the gas; a control of the regeneration whereby the absorbed gases arev expelled from the solution irrespective of their amounts and relative proportions.

The present invention rovides the combination of gas urification rocess, such, for example, as t at lstated l'agovd with an eiiicient removal and' recover of the am- 40 monia from the gas; and the invention contemplates the application of such a combined ammonia recovery andl gas purification process to both an ammonia recovery process of the indirect process type and of the direct process type, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In addition to the. general objects recited above, the invention has for further objects lsuch other improvements or advantages in 5o operation or results, as may be found to obtainv in apparatus and processes hereinafter described orclaimed.

In the accompaniying drawings forming a part of this speci and also to remove the hydrogen sulphideand otherv `with an ammonia recovery of the Jr. and Ral h -the removal ofhydrogen. sul

-bon' dioxide, and, catlon and sliowinnr forV titi 'purposes of exemplification preferred orms atmospheric pressure,

in which the invention may be embodied and practiced, but inventionto any such illustrative instances:

Figure 1 illustrates apparatus for carrying out the combined process of the inventionin connection with an ammonia recovery of the` indirect process type Fig. 2 illustrates apparatus for carrying out the invention with an` ammonia recovery of the direct process type; and Fig. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of apparatus for'v carrying out the invention direct process type.

As herein described', the invention is applied to the recovery of ammonia, and

hide, carbon dioxide andother impurities m fuel gas, such las coke oven gas. For convenience, the present description will be confirmed to this use ofthe invention. However, -features .of the invention arecapable of other valuable applications, lfor example the invention may be applied generally to the recovery of :1m-

monia and .removal of hydrogen sulphide from vammonia-charged gas. and particularly to those gases which also contain carbon dioxide. `Consequently, the invention is not limited in scope to the herein described illustrative examples.

'In the following description, particular reference willv bemade to the useqof -a sodium carbonate' solution as the purifying -i I agent, but with the understanding that vother alkaline solutions may be advantageously employed. When as, containing hydrogen sulphide, carbon ioxide and hydrocyanic aci is brought into contact with a solution of sodium carbonate, the following reactions occur: f

The gas to bepuried is treated with th Sodium carbonate solution for absorption of hydrogen sul bite, carbon dioxide Aand hydrocyanic acid, if any of the latter be present, and the lresulting fouled solution is heated, first, under vacuum or reduced pressure for the removal of the bulk ofthe hydrogenvsulphide-Atogether with some f the carl next, under a relatively preferably higher than for the removal' of the greater pressure,-

PENNsYEvANIA, lAssIeNon Tol THE xoPPEPs without limiting' the claimed 1Q to.

, pressures.

rest of the carbon dioxide. .It has been demonstrated by tests that carbon dioxide is much more rapidly released from the solution and with a minimum evaporation of Therefore, it is desirable to keep a maximum amount of bicarbonate in the solution while the sodium hydrosulphide is being decomposed. This necessitates .first effecting the decomposition of the sodium hydrosulphide. After the bulk of the sodiumhydrosulphide has been decomposed, by the heating under vacuum, and hydrogen sulphide has been expelled from the solution, the Vsolut-ion is heated under pressure at' an increased temperature until-the bicarbonate is decomposed to the required extent.

By conducting the first heating of the solution under-vacuum, a high degree of :s eiiiciency in expulsion of the hydrogen sul' phide is attained. Should the proportion of carbon dioxide in the gas be such that the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed be but little more thanthat actually re uired to react with the sodium hydrosulp ide, according to the equation above, the initial heating under vacuum willbe found sufiicient to expel the carbon dioxide and thus properly to regenerate the solution. If, however, there be a considerable excess of carbon dioxide in the gas, the absorbed 'carbon dioxide will not be expelled so rapidcontinuin the heating under vacuum. How-- ly as the hydrogen sulphide, so that the complete expulsion of the carbon dioxide, remainin after the hydrogen sulphide is driven o is `not readily accomplished by ever, if t e solution be subjected to a further heating operation under pressure at 1ncreased temperature, the remainder of the' carbon dioxide is vvery rapidly driven oi.

Referring to` Fig. 1 f of the drawings, which shows larrangement `ofapparatus used in the combination of the invention with what is known as the indirect process for recover o f ammonia from ammonia-charged gils an the manufacture of ammoniumsulp ate. coke ovens 1 pass through s tandpipe 2 into 'lcollectlng main 3 and is'drawn off through sorbed in said Thefdistillate from' tl coal in thev pipe 4 into the primary cooler 5 and thence through the exhauster 6. From the exhauster, the gases 'pass into the tarl extractor '7. Pipe 4 usually has a pitch trap 4@ into part of this material over the collecting andl ofi'take mains 1n order to ensure proper cool-v infr.

b n The cooled gas, free irom tar, 1s conducted .from the tar extractor into the bottom of a` scrubber 9 in which it is'brought into .con-

tact with a solution of sodium carbonate pumped from the tank 10 Vby pump 1l through line 12. This solution' absorbs some of the carbon dioxide together with most of the hydrogen sulphideand ammonia in the gas. By having a scrubber of suflicient size and employing the proper rate of circulation, all of the ammonia may be abscr'ubber 9, but it is often preferable to conduct the treatment with sodium carbonate solution in a relatively small scrubber and to complete the absorpt-ion of ammonia with second scrubber. The through the line 13.

`The sodium carbonate solution employed in this process may beof a. strength tol test about 15 per cent total `alkalinity calculated as NagC()3 as it enters the scrubber. Greater or less strengths may be employed; but it is desirable to have less bicarbonate pre-sent than in the case of applying the purifying process to gas containing no ammonia. In practice, a solution containing between 3.5 percentum and 4.5 percentum sodium bicarbonate willgenerally be found satisfactory. In the subsequent treatment of the solution for the removal of the yabsorbed ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and carbon diox- 1de,'heat1ng may be employed in a different plain Water in a gas leaves the scrubber lsequence from that used when no ammonia4 is present. The ammonia is expelled toether with approximately one-half of the ydr'ogen sulphide by heating the solution at atmospheric pressure. Some of the carbon dioxide also comes oif in this treatment. The solution is then heated under vacuum for the expulsionof the remainder of the hydro en sulphide. It is generally found that tis treatment sufiices for the. removal vof the carbon dioxide and heating under pressure -at vincreased temperature is seldom necessary unless. this isy in unusual excess.

However, provision is made. so that this lool heating can b e--performed whenever' nccessary. With ammonia present in the gas belng treated, there are a number of reactlons lin addition to those hereinbefore mentioned.

The ammonia isv absorbed principally in .the` form of ammonium carbonates [e. g.

1 (NI-102003] and ammonium hydrosulphide Upon heating thesev decompose follows:

(NH4`2CO=2NH-l CO2-F1120 H4HS=NH6+H2S n The fact that the carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide in the gas'pa-rtly combine with the ammonia renders the formation of sodium bicarbonate and sodium hydrosulphide less than when no ammonia is present. Inasmuch as the ammonia compounds are very readily decomposible, 'the expulsion of these gases takes place very readily. The decomposition of the sodium 'hydrosulphide is by the carbon dioxide liberated in.

assisted the rst reaction just given as shown by the following equation `The expulsion of-the ammonia is preferably conducted in an ordinaryammonia still column. The' liquor discharged into the tank 14 from the scrubber 9 1s pumped by expelled. It is preferable t pump 15 through line 16 into thel top of this column. Direct steam is blown into the'bottom.. The steam, ammonia'and other gases pass, through V operation of which is conducted so that the emerging gases have a suiciently lhigh concentration o-f ammonia.- The subsequent treatment otthese gaseswill be described'l later.

The solution runsfrom the bottom of the. still column into tank 19. The apparatus for regenerating the solution is arranged for intermittent o` eration as in the prior application Serial o. 520,805. A single evaporator 22 may be employed to ellect the entire regeneration of the solution. Sullicient solution 1s transferred to this evaporator by ,pump 20 through line 21. Valve 25 is closed and valves 23 and 24 are open. The vacuum pump 26 is started and heat applied to the evaporator until tests of the solution show that suiiicient hydrogen sul hide has-been iat the hydron sulphide remaining in the solution should not be over-10 percent-of that present in the solution in tank 14.

If the tests of the solution show too much bicarbonate still remaining in the solution after the vacuum heating, the'vacuum pump is shut oil, valve 25 opened and valves 23 and 24 closed. Heating is continued under a ressure of 15pounds, for example, until the icarbonate is decomposed tothe required extent. The regenerated solution is transferred to' tank 10 which contains cooling.

coils.V Sucient water should be added to restore the original concentration of the s'olution' with respect to total alkalinity. The cooled solution is then ready for circlulathe dephlegmator 18, the

any well known type adapted to the treatlnent of ammonia vapor with sulphuric acid. Ammonium sulphate is produced in the usual'manner. The carbon dioxide and hydro en sulphide pass through the sulphuric vaci unchanged and emerge through' pipe 29 which may have a small condenser 30 to remove any excess 'of moisture. The condensate from this may be returned through line 31 to tank 8 or to some other part of the ammonia condensate Y system which will be described presently. The hydrogen sulhide and carbon dioxide from line 29 may y e` disposed ofby passingthem into line 32 which conveys that portion of the gaswhich is used to heat the coke ovens; or they -may be disposed of or utilized in any other man-l ner desired.

It now remains to describe the treatmentl of the condensate collected in tank 8. This consists of tar and ammonia liquor and is passedthrough any well known form` of separator (indicated at 33) in which the tar is separated from the ammonia liquor. The ammonia yliquor is transferred by pump 34 through line 35 to the ammonia stillv 36 which has the usual appurtenances, viz:

lime chamber, fixed still column, dephelgmator, etc. which need not be described in detail. The ammonia, liberated in this still, joins the gases in line 27 and passes with the rest of the ammonia into the saturator 28.

The process is also adapted to combination with the usual processes for making concentrated ammonia liquor in by-product coke oven operation. In this case, more elaborate dephlegmators are used and condensers are employed to repare the' liquor. Any excess of hy rogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, over the allowable requirements in the liquor may be removed art.. v

One form combining the direct process manufacture is lshown in Fig. 2.. According to -the Koppers direct process, the gas from the coke ovens 1 passes. through standpipe 2 into collecting mai-nv 3- and rocess with the Koppers vthence through pip'evt intoprimalfy' cooler 5. The exhauster pumps the vcooled gas throughl tar extractor7, and in theordinary operation of the process, the tar 'freed gas' is conducted into a .reheater and thence t of apparatus employed in Ph Z.

for ammonium sulphatev by apparatus which is well known in the into a' saturator. In lthe present instance the Washer 48 is 4interposed between the tar extractor 7` and the reheater 49. Thel the operation in such a way as to absorb a minimum amount of ammonia, which may Vbe efl'ected by employing a llmited amount of solution yin a Washer' of high eicicncy. Thefgas from the Washer 48 passes through reheater 49 and thence into saturator 50, finally emerging lin a purified condition through the'pipe 51 which has an acid separator 52 to catch any spray mechanically carried out of the saturator. The solution runs out o'f the washer into tank53 and is pumped by pump 54 through line 55into l still column 56 which is heated by direct steam. Here, all of the ammonia absorbed,

-together with some ofi the hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, isdriven out and passes through dephlegmator 57 into line 58. The solution from the still column runs into tank 59. Suliicient of it to' fill the evaporator 62 is transferred by @ump 60 through line 61.l `The operation o the evaporator for the final regeneration of the solution is conducted as has been previously described. The 'valve-controlled iiow` linc 66n is provided so that if the solution in the evaporator'still contains some ammonia the gases may be ,passed into line 58 until this ammonia is expelled. Otherwise, the gasses from lthe vacuum Vpump may be passed through line 64 to join the gases leaving saturator 69. After the heating under vacuum is carried to a suiicicnt extent to expel the hydrogen sulphide, any carbon dioxidev remaining over the required amount is expelled by heating under pressure. The vgases 1n this nal heating pass through by-pass lineA 65 into the line 64. The regenerated solution after proper dilution in tank 71 is transferred by through line 73 to the washer 48.

The condensates -from the collecting main and subsequent apparatus to and including the tar extractor are accumulated in tank 66. The condensates consist of tar and ammonia liquorl and are transferred to tar seppump 7 2 aration' apparatus 74. The ammonia liq-' uor from thisvis pumped by pump 75 through line 76 to the ammonia still 'G7 which has the usuall appurtenances. The vapors and gases from this still join those jfrom still 56 in line 58 and are pa'ssed. into saturator 69.y The carbon dioxide and hyaci unchangedl and go through se arator after which they may be joined throng through main 208.

and cooling' drogen sulphide pass through the sulphuric pipe 64.l These gases being rich in hydrogen sulphide may be usedfor the manufacture ofsulphuric acid Whichisl needed in the' operation of the saturators for the production of ammonium sulphate. Thus, the inventionfurnishes means for making all the y.necessary materials save air for ammonium sulphate manufacture from the original constituents `of the gas, providedthe v i sgas-ffisssuieigerrtly high in hydrogen sulphide.

Instead of utiliigithegasesgfrom the saturator and evaporator for' makin'gmisulsss'w phuric acid or otherwise,l they may be disposed of by putting them into that portion of the coke oven gas which is used for heating the ovens. This method of disposition makes possible a different arrangement of 'i apparatus which is shown in plan in Fig. 3.

It is unnecessaryto remove the hydrogen sulphide from that part of the gas which 1s used for heating the coke ovens.4 In most plants such gas passes through a 'series of apparatus, comprising primary coolers, exhausters, tar extractors, reheaters, satura-- tors, etc., which is separate from the appara tus used for treating the surplus gas. As shown in Fig. 3, the raw gas isbrought from the coke ovens in main 201 and that part which is to be used for heating the ovens passes through pipe 202 into primary cooler- 203 and thence'is pumped by exhauster 204 through tar extractor 205, relieater 206, and saturator 207, nally returning to the ovens throughwmain 209, primary o'ooler 210, exhauster 211, and tar extractor 212.. In the application of our invention, scrubber 213 is interposed in the usual system directly after the tar extractor. The surplus as- .passes through this washer in which it 1s brought into contact with a strong solution of sodium carbonate which removes a large part or all of the hydrogen sulphide together with some ammonia. lThe gas then passes into reheater 214 and saturator 215, the latter converting the remaining ammonia into ammonium sulphate by means of sulphuric acid. The surplus gas leaving the saturator is then in condition to be disposed of for any purpose desired. 'l

The treatment of the sodium carbonate solution from the scrubber 213 is readily understood from revious descriptions. This solution runs into tank 216 and is pumped by pump 217 through line 218 into still column 219 which is heated b direct steam. Here all of the ammonia absorbed, together with some of the hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, and passes (through a. dephlegmator if necessary) inte line 220. The solution from the still column runs into tank 221; sufficient of it to till evaporator 222 is transferred through line 228 and the operation'of the evaporator for the unal regeneration of the The surplus gas passes' solution y is conducted as has .been previously described. The gases from the evaporator pass into line 220. j

The condensates from the collecting main and subsequent apparatus in the entire system, to and including the tar extractors, are accumulated in tank 224. The condensates y are transferred through line 225 to'tar separation apparatus 226. From this, the ammonia liquor is transferred through line 227 to the ammonia still 228. The vapors and gases from this still'v go into line 220.

Thus, it Will be seen that all of the amhydrogen sulphide land other gases removed from the surplus gas inthe Washer 213 are put together with the' usual distillation gases from the treatment 'of the ammonia li' uid into a common pipe l220. This ipe con ucts them into the gas leaving the reheater 'and recovered in this. saturator, while the remaining gases go to the coke ovens to be What is claimed is:

1. The process of treating vfuel gas', .which consists in: subjecting the gas to a primary cooling stage and then removing from the gas the residue of the tar, while collecting the ammonia li uor condensate from both the primary coo ingl and tar extraction stages; then Washing t e tar-freed gas with a sodium carbonate solution to absorb hydrogen i sulphide, carbon dioxide and ammonia from under pressure sai gas; then subjecting the solutionfrom the absorption stage to a'distilling operation to remove the bulk of the ammonla; then p heating it under fvacuum to expel the bulk of hydrogen sulphide, and further heating to convert sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate; recirculating the thus regenerated solution tothe absorption stage; subjecting the ammonialiquor condensate to a distilling operation; and collectin the ammonia va rs from the solution a sorption stage distillation, the solution regeneration stage and the condensate distillation, and passing such collected va- 2. The process pors to andthrough a saturation bath to reoeyer vthe ammonia;

of treating'fuel gas, lwhich 206'and entering the saturator 207 Their entire ,ammonia content is absorbed developed a system of puri-2 d condensate dlstillation,

hereinabove set forthv l may be variously embodied within the scope v of the claims hereinafter made. g

g stages; then washn substantially as speci- A the consists in: subjecting the gas to a rimary cooling-stage and then removing rom `the gas the residue of the tar, While collecting the ammonia liquor condensate from botl the primary cooling and tar extraction stages; then washing sodium carbonatel solution of such concentration andof such small volume as to absorb the bulk of h drogen sulphide and carbon dioxide from t e gas, but onlyto absorb part of the ammonia; then passlng the washed gas to and through a saturation bath to recover the bulk of the ammonia; then subjecting the solution from the absorption stage to a distilling operation to remove the absorbed ammonia; then heating it under vacuum *toexpel the bulk of hy r ogen sulphide, and further heating under pressure to convert sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate; re-

lcirculating the thus regenerated solutionY to the absorption stage; subjecting the ammonia liquor. condensate to a distilling operation; and collecting the ammonia vapors from the solution absorption stage distlllation, the'solution regeneration stage andthe 'and passing such collected vapors to and through a saturation the tar-*freed gas with a bath to recover the ammonia; substantially i as specified. j

3. The process of treating fuel gas, which consists in :subjecting the gas to a primary cooling stage and then removing from the glzlis the residue of the tar, while collecting t e ammonia liquor condensate from bot theA primary cooling and tar extraction stages; then washing the tar-freed gas with an alkali-metal carbonate solution to absorb hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and ammonia from said gas; then subjecting the solution from the absorption sta e to a distilling operation to remove the ulk of the `ammonia; then heating it under vacuum to expel the bulk of hy ogeny sulphide, and furthenheating under pressure to convert alkali-metal bicarbonate to alkali-metal carbonate; recirculating the thus regenerated solution to the absorption stage; subjecting v.the ammonia liquor condensate to a distilling operation; and collectin the ammonia vaors from the solutiona sorption stage distillation, the solution regeneration stage and thev condensate distillation, and passing such collected vapors to and through a saturation bath to recover the ammonia; substantially as specified.4 f

4.' The process of treating fuel gas, which consists in; subjecting the gas to a primary cooling stage and then removing om the gas the-residue of the tar, while collecting the ammonia liquor condensate from bo 'the primary cooling and tar extraction the tar-freed gas with analkali metal car nate solution of such concentr'ation'a-nd of such small volume as to bulk of hydrogen sulphide and IUI carbonate solution to absorb .sorb part of the ammonia; then passing the Washed gas to and through a saturation bath to recover the/.bulk of Lhe ammonia; then.

subjecting the solution from the absorption stage to a distilling operation -to remove the absorbed ammonia; then heating it under vacuum to expel the bulk of hydrogen sulphide, and further heatino` under pressure to convert alkali-metal bicarbonate to alkali metal carbonate; recirculating vthe thus regenerated solution to the absorption stage; subjecting the ammonia liquor condensate to a distilling operation; and collecting the ammonia vapors from the solution absorption stage distillation, the solution regeneration stage and the condensate distillation, and `passing such collected vapors to and through a' saturation bath to recover the ammonia; substantially as specified.. l

5, The process of treating fuel gas, which consists in :y washing such gas With a sodium hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and ammonia from said as then subjecting the solution from the a sorption stage to a distillin operation to remove the bulk of the absorbe ammonia; then heating it under regulable pressure, and recirculating the thus regenerated solution to h absorptlon stage; substantiallyas speci- 6. The process of treating fuel gas, which consistsin: washing such gas with an alkalimetal carbonate solution to absorb hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and ammonia from said gas; then subjecting the solution from the absorption stage to a' distillin operation to remove the bulk of the absorbe ammonia: then heating it under regulable pressure, and

recirculating the thus regenerated/'solution to the absorption stage; substantially as specified. A

7. The process of treating fuel gas, which consists in: washing such gas with a sodium carbonate solution of such concentration and of such small volume as tol absorb the bulk I n of hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide from the gas, but only to absorb'part of the ammonia; then passlng the Washed and through a saturation bath to recover the piuk of the ammonia; substantially as speci- 8. The process of treating fuel gas, which consists in: washing such gas .with a sodium carbonate solution of such concentration and pane,

as tov of such small volume as to absorb the bulk' bulk of the ammonia; then subjecting the solution from the absorption stage to a distilling operation to remove the absorbed ammonia; then heating it under regulable pressure, and recirculating the thus regenerated solution back to the absorption stage; sub-l stantially as specified.

9. The process of treating fuel gas, which consists in: passing such gas into contact with a solution of alkali-metal carbonate? bicarbonate mixture 'to absorb hydrogen sulcarbon dioxide and ammonia from the gas; subjecting the solution from the absorption staOfe` to a distilling operation to remove the a sorbed ammonia; and then heating 1t under regulable pressure; substantially as specified. y

10. The process of treating fuel gas, which consists in :passing such gas into contact With a solution of alkali-metal carbonate-bicarbonate mixture to absorb hydrogen sulphide,

carbon dioxide and ammonia from the gas;

subjecting they solution from the absorption stage to a distilling operation to remove the absorbed ammonia; subjecting'the solution containing the absorbed impurities to heating to expel such impurities and to restorethe solution, to its original condition for further gas treatment; and regulating .the pressure on the solution during the heating thereofto expel initially the bulk of hydrogen sulphide from the solution and thereafter the bulk of the absorbed carbon dioxidc; substantially as specified.

11. A process for the treatment of fuel gas containing hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and otherimpurities conslsting in Wash-l ing the gas with a non-volatile solution capable of absorbing simultaneously hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and ammonia from said gas and then subjecting the liquid from the absorption stage Iirst to a distilling operation to -remove ammonia, and then to heating under regulable pressure to remove the aforesaid impurities, the liquid being thereafter recircu ated to the absorption stage. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EUGENE H. BIRD. 

